PHP Maths

Basic PHP Maths Functions

Math functions in PHP allow you to conduct mathematical operations on numbers.

PHP pi() Function

The value of PI is returned by the pi() function.

<?php
echo(pi());
?>

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Output:

3.1415926535898

PHP min() and max() Functions

To find the lowest or highest value in a list of inputs, use the min() and max() functions.

<?php
echo(min(-1, 50, 10, 20, 0, 40));
echo(max(-1, 50, 10, 20, 0, 40));
?>

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Output:

-1
50

PHP abs() Function

The abs() method returns a number's absolute (positive) value.

<?php
echo(abs(-6.7));
?>

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Output:

6.7

PHP sqrt() Function

The sqrt() method returns a number's square root.

<?php
echo(sqrt(25));
?>

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Output:

5

PHP round() Function

A floating-point number is rounded to the nearest integer using the round() function.

<?php
echo(round(0.60)); 
echo(round(0.49));
?>

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Output

1
0

Random Numbers

The rand() function generates a random number.

<?php
echo(rand());
?>

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You can use the optional min and max parameters to select the lowest and highest integers to be returned, giving you more control over the random number.

For example, if you want a random integer between 5 and 10 (inclusive), use rand(5, 10):

<?php
echo(rand(10, 100));
?>

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Additional PHP Maths Functions

Let us have a look at the various other available PHP Maths functions as listed in the table below.

Basic PHP Maths Constants

A constant is an identifier (name) for a simple value. The value cannot be changed during the script. A valid constant name starts with a letter or underscore (no $ sign before the constant name).

Note: Unlike variables, constants are automatically global across the entire script.

Creating a PHP Constant

To create a constant, use the define() function.

Syntax

define(name, value, case-insensitive)

Parameters:

• name: Specifies the name of the constant
• value: Specifies the value of the constant
• case-insensitive: Specifies whether the constant name should be case-insensitive. Default is false

Example

Create a constant with a case-sensitive name:

<?php
define("HELLO", "Welcome to Coding Ninjas!");
echo HELLO;
?>

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Output:

Welcome to Coding Ninjas!

Example

Create a constant with a case-insensitive name:

<?php
define("HELLO", "Welcome to Coding Ninjas!", true);
echo hello;
?>

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Output:

Welcome to Coding Ninjas!

PHP Constant Arrays

In PHP7, you can create an Array constant using the define() function.

Example

Create an Array constant:

<?php
define("DSA", [
 "Trees",
 "Graphs",
 "Arrays"
]);
echo dsa[0];
?>

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Output:

Trees

Constants are Global

Constants are automatically global and can be used across the entire script.

Example

This example uses a constant inside a function, even if it is defined outside the function:

<?php
define("HELLO", "Welcome to Coding Ninjas!");
function myTest() {
 echo HELLO;
}
myTest();
?>

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Output:

Welcome to Coding Ninjas!

Additional PHP Maths Constants

Now, Let us have a look at the various other available PHP Constants as listed in the table below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you do math in PHP?

Yes, PHP supports arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and advanced math functions using its built-in math functions.

Can you do calculations in PHP?

Yes, PHP can perform calculations, including basic arithmetic, trigonometry, logarithms, and advanced math using functions from its math library.

What are the 4 built-in functions in PHP?

Examples of built-in PHP functions include strlen() for string length, array_merge() for combining arrays, round() for rounding numbers, and date() for formatting dates.

Conclusion

We learnt how to use the basic mathematical functions and constants. We also saw various other PHP maths functions and constants available in PHP. We have covered almost all of the commonly used functions and constants.

For more information about PHP, check out articles by Code360 on PHP.